The name game of the rich and famous

Rajnikanth

Original Name: Shivaji Rao Gaekwad

Year of birth: 1949

Profession: Kollywood Actor, Known as the ‘Super Star’

The story behind the good old name: Rajnikanth, was a bus conductor in Karnataka. His stylish mannerisms in issuing tickets and blowing the whistle caught everyone’s attention. With the growing acclaim for his stylish actions, he moved to Chennai to join the film institute. He made his debut as a cancer patient in Apoorva Raagangal. The maestro director of Tamil cinema, K Balachander who introduced him in the film, changed his name to Rajnikanth. The main reason behind the name change is because there was already a stalwart by name Shivaji Ganesan in the industry. Now Rajnikanth, with his latest release ‘Shivaji – the boss’, has touched the pinnacle of fame; and his name is more influential and popular than any religion in Tamilnadu.